


Fireproof

by duskanddawn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 06:53:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6069487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskanddawn/pseuds/duskanddawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Meet Harry. He's 22, living in an apartment in London. He works as a freelance artist.<br/>Meet Louis. He's 24, a firefighter, also living in London.<br/>This is the story of happens when Harry's cat gets stuck in a cupboard (yep, really!).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fireproof

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by a masterpost I stumbled upon on fanficy-au.tumblr.com. I don't know if this will be a one-chapter thing or develop into a continuous thing, I guess it depends on what you guys would like, so please let me know!
> 
> Thanks,  
> Gem x

_Harry_

I'm out on my morning run when I get the phone call. My music stops and I frown, momentarily annoyed. When I hear my ringtone start through my headphones, I stop, pausing for a few seconds to try and catch my breath. I tap to accept the call, which my phone shows as Tom, the guy who lives in the same apartment complex as me, who happens to be a good friend of mine.  
"Hi Tom" I say.

"Hiya, H. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just out on a run, I'll be back in a bit. Are you alright?"

"Sorry to bother you, Harry. I'm fine - it's not me. There's a weird sound coming from the direction of your apartment... it kind of sounds like an animal. I'd have thought nothing about it until I thought of Dusty."

"Not a bother..." I trail off. Dusty is my 2 year-old black cat. "I'll come back home and have a look. Thanks for calling me, Tom, it means a lot."

"No worries, mate. Hope everything's okay. Let me know, won't you?"

"Yeah, course" I say, turning and walking back in the direction of my apartment. "Bye, Tom, talk later."

"Bye Harry!" comes his happy reply, and the phone cuts off, my music coming back on seconds later. I pick my pace up, and run back home.

 

When I get there, I hear the noise before I even get to my door. I know instantly that it _is_ Dusty, and I let myself in. "Dusty? Where are you little man?" I ask, as I start to look for him. He would normally be to me by now, rubbing round my legs and purring. It's all quiet until a few seconds later, then I hear a distressed-sounding meow coming from the direction of my room. I walk quickly, following the sound, and it takes me to outside a cupboard that's just off my bedroom. I go to open the door, and find I can't - it's jammed shut. _Shit_ I mutter, trying again. After 10 minutes of being unsuccessful, I start to panic. _Right, calm down_ I tell myself. I find a screwdriver and try to open it using that. Nothing. I slide my phone out of my pocket, opening up the phone app. I go to dial 999, but just before I call, I ask myself: _is it an_ actual _emergency? Well yeah, course it is. Your cat is trapped and you can't get to him._ I don't battle with my head any more, and instead, hit the call button. 

"999, what service do you require?" A young-sounding female asks me.

"Um, Fire Service, please" I say.

"Your call will be directed shortly" She says, and the line clicks. I bite my thumb nervously, but in a few seconds I'm put through to someone on another line. 

"Good morning mate, how can we help? Can you tell us your name, please?"

"Good morning, my name's Harry. I've just been out on a run when I got a call from a friend who lives in the same apartment building as me, saying he heard a noise coming from my place. I came back to check it, and it turns out that my cat is trapped in a cupboard. The door won't open, and I've tried for ages trying to get it open. He's in a bit of distress, and it's starting to panic me a little..." I trail off. 

"Poor thing! If you give us your address, Harry, we'll send someone out right away.  
I gave the man my address, and thanked him, before hanging up. "Hang in there, Dusty, someone's coming to let you out" I say, crouching at the bottom of the door. I heard him meow again, and blew a few kisses to him, to try and reassure him. I go and get his bowl, and prepare some food for him for when he is let out. I just put the bowl down near my bedroom door when someone rings my doorbell. _Wow, that was fast._  
I go to the door and open it, and am greeted by the face of a handsome-looking guy, no older than 25. He has beautiful blue eyes, but I can't think like that. Not right now. 

"Hiya, Harry is it? I'm Louis. I'm here to unjam a door?"

"Hi, Louis, come on in. Thank you" I smile at him, and receive a grin back. The grin is also beautiful, too. I step aside, holding my hand out for Louis to come on in. He ducks his head slightly, and steps in front of me. "It's just down the hall, to the right, and it's the door facing you right at the end." I say, and Louis nods, setting off. I cant help but notice the swing of his hips, and how good he looks when he walks. Louis goes to the door, and tries it for himself, with no luck. 

"I feel a bit of a muppet now" I admit, blushing slightly. Louis turns round to me, a look of slight confusion on his face. 

"Why?" He asks gently, and I see him scanning my face. I blush a bit more, and mentally kick myself. 

"I feel daft calling 999... You've probably been to hundreds of call-outs that are a thousand times worse than this. I swear I don't mean to waste your time, but I just didn't know what else to do..." I trail off, and for some insane reason I feel like I want to cry a bit.

"Ah it's okay!" Louis says, coming and placing a hand gently on my shoulder. "It's not like you rang up as a prank, is it? Those are the kind of calls that are _really_ time wasting. This is an emergency - just because it's not a house fire doesn't make it unimportant. Besides, I'm happy to help" He smiles, before turning back around and looking in the toolbox I hadn't noticed him carry in. He brings out what looks like a long, thin, sturdy-looking allen key, and proceeds to somehow fit it in the minute gap between the door and the doorframe. I watch as the muscles in his right arm tense as he bends it outwards, then inwards. The door cracks slightly, but a few seconds later, the door swings open, and out runs Dusty. 

"Hi buddy!" I say excitedly, as Dusty runs out. He comes to me, sniffing and rubbing round my legs, but then immediately turns to Louis, starting to purr as Louis bends down, petting him affectionately. _Charming!_ I think. _Mind you, I'd rather go to the cute guy, too, if I were him._

"Aww, I love cats! What's his name?"

"Dusty" I grin, so relieved he is okay. "Thank you so much, Louis. You're a lifesaver - literally!"

"Any time" Louis smiles, and I notice how long his eyelashes are as he looks up at me. "I'm glad Dusty is okay. Bet you're relieved 'an all, aren't ya?" He chuckles, and I'm trying to detect where abouts in Yorkshire he is from.

"I am" I nod. "I'm so glad he's okay. Can I get you a drink or anything, Louis? Just as a small thanks..."

"I'd love a cuppa, but unfortunately I need to go back to the station, in case there's another call out before my shift ends. It's all a bit hectic this week, we're understaffed, and it's stressing us all out."

"I can imagine" I reply. "I'm sorry it's stressful for you, and I hope it gets back to normal soon"

"Thank you" he smiles, and I smile back.

"Is there anything I can do to say thank you? I know you're busy, but..." I trail off, not really knowing where I'm going with this, or what I'm saying. 

"Tell you what, you can buy me a cuppa if you really want to, after my shift has finished" He grins, and for a second I can't quite believe what he's said. 

"Really?" I say, before I can stop myself. I think my eyebrow has also shot halfway into my hairline. Great. 

"Sure" he chuckles, and beams at me. "I finish at half 4. Give me your number, and I'll text you when I'm ready. Is that alright?"

_That's more than alright_ I think, amazed at how forward he is. It's not cocky, but confident. I love it.

"Yeah, course" I nod, trying to keep a normal expression on my face. I tell him my number as he taps it into his phone, and he smiles at me as he puts his phone back into the back pocket of his trousers. 

"I'll be going now" he says, and I swear I see him smirk. 

"Thanks again, Louis"

"No problem. I'll see you later?" 

"Yeah" I nod, as I open the door, letting him step outside.

"Bye" He smiles warmly one last time, and when I've said bye to him, I shut the door, then turn around. I let out a big breath I didn't know I was holding, then walk over to Dusty, who's stretched out on the sofa, looking as happy as I'm feeling. 

"Thank you, D" I smile, as I sit down next to him, giving him a big cuddle. He purrs loudly, and licks my hand in response. "I think I got myself a _date_ through you. What are the chances?" I laugh, sitting back in shock. "Crap" I say out loud, to no one. "What am I gonna wear?!"


End file.
